Sasha Biggers

Human Anatomy 2325

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a respiratory disorder that presents
with symptoms of coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and overall breathing difficulty.
COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States with millions of sufferers.
What causes COPD? First, let us take a look at the anatomy of the lungs. Air is breathed
in either through the nose or mouth, passes the pharynx, the larynx, then the trachea before
branching into the bronchi of the left and right lungs. These primary bronchi branch into
secondary bronchi, and in the right lung a third bronchi. Beyond the secondary bronchi are the
tertiary bronchi which branch into many small bronchioles. At the end of the terminal
bronchioles are the alveoli, which are small sacs surrounded by small capillaries.
The alveolar sacs are the part of the lungs where gas exchange occurs. In COPD, these
air sacs lose their elasticity and many of the walls of the air sacs are destroyed. This causes less
air flow in due to reduced surface space of the alveoli. COPD also causes the airways to become
inflamed, making them thicker, which makes gas exchange in the capillaries more difficult.
Excess mucous production in COPD clogs airways further provoking breathing difficulties.

I wanted to research COPD because I didnt know the difference between COPD and
emphysema. It turns out, COPD includes emphysema as well as chronic bronchitis. In
emphysema, the walls of the alveoli are destroyed and the air sacs lose their shape and elasticity.
With chronic bronchitis, the airways are constantly irritated and inflamed, which causes the
lining to thicken and produce excess mucous.

What causes COPD? It is no surprise that cigarette or pipe smoking is the main culprit
for COPD. About 90% of COPD sufferers are current or former smokers. Inhalation of
environmental contaminants, like pollution, chemical fumes, or dust can also lead to COPD.
There is no cure for COPD. The best option for prevention is to avoid smoking and
environmental pollutants.

Sources:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/copd/prevention.html
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/copd/
http://www.innerbody.com/anatomy/respiratory/lungs